NSU vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to Norfolk State University or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NSU or UVa-Wise is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Norfolk State University vs. The University of Virginia's College at Wise comparison
Norfolk State University The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
Norfolk State University The University of Virginia's College at Wise
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

NSU UVa-Wise
Location Norfolk, VA Wise, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 5,783 1,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008 #750
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsu.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $5,752 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $16,920 $25,419
Room & Board $10,844 $11,919
Avg Net Price $14,652 $9,923
Avg Grant Aid $12,164 $14,299
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 98%

Admission

NSU UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,884 835
Admitted 7,951 631
Acceptance Rate 89.5% 75.6%
Enrolled % 16.4% 39.8%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.57
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 19/25
SAT Range 840/1040 915/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 31, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

NSU UVa-Wise
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

NSU UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 33% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $320 $215

Diversity

NSU UVa-Wise
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 5% 78%
% Black 84% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

NSU UVa-Wise
% In-State 65% 76%
% Out-of-State 31% 21%

Campus

NSU UVa-Wise
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 1,704 students)

NSU vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or UVa-Wise?

  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise is 5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($6,040.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.2% higher at UVa-Wise than Norfolk State University ($25,419.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than NSU ($9,923 vs. $14,652)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 9.9% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($10,844 vs. $11,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Norfolk State University (98% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 17.6% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($14,299 vs. $12,164)

NSU vs. UVa-Wise Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NSU or UVa-Wise? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UVa-Wise or NSU .

  • The average SAT score at The University of Virginia's College at Wise (942) is 134 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming UVa-Wise students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman UVa-Wise students have a 0.67 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

NSU vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or UVa-Wise? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UVa-Wise and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at UVa-Wise is higher than Norfolk State University (39% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from The University of Virginia's College at Wise earn on average $5,400 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $36,700)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $10,173 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($20,827 vs. $31,000)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($215 vs. $320)
  • More UVa-Wise graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 27%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/